Past Imperfect
by fenraven
Summary: Spock is thrown into Earth's past via a transporter incident. Explicit adult content. Het.


**Past Imperfect**

Part 1

He seemingly appeared out of thin air, a tall, slender figure in blue and black, in the field beyond the one she walked next to. As she watched, he dropped to his knees and collapsed on the ground.

Although her legs were already tired from her long walk, she ran to him as fast as she could and was breathless when she finally reached his side. He lay in the long grass, and as she dropped down beside him, she sincerely hoped he wasn't dead.

Black boots, black pants, blue shirt, black hair…and pointed ears. Startled, she drew back. What the hell?

She couldn't tell if he was breathing or not, so she hesitantly put a couple fingers on his neck. The heartbeat was incredibly rapid, so fast in fact, that she wished she had her cell with her so she could call an ambulance.

Sitting back on her heels, she looked around. They were in the middle of a field that had been allowed to go to grass; perhaps the farmer was preparing it for pasture. Woods lined the western edge, there was a farm on the northern side, another on the south, and a soybean field and the road to the east. Town was a couple miles away and there wasn't a hospital there anyway, only a clinic which was now closed, as it was seven in the evening.

Sighing, she looked at him. He was definitely male, and it wasn't only his ears that were strange. His eyebrows were slanted up at an angle, not curved over the eye like most people's. As she considered what she should do, he moved, regaining his knees and sitting up. His eyes met hers.

"Where am I?"

The voice was educated, cultured, and very soothing. She said, "I have a better question. What are you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "To what are you referring?"

"You're not from around here, are you? The ears, the brows…your eyes and body look normal, though."

He tilted his head as he considered her words. "I was born on the planet Vulcan."

_Oh, great. A head case._ "Sure you were. Okay, I'll play along. How did you suddenly appear in this field? I was walking along the road, glanced over, and there you were, falling over into the grass."

He seemed confused. "Transporter problem during a time travel test. What year is this?"

"Two thousand nine," she said, wondering if he'd hit his head and was suffering from concussion. "And to answer your previous question, you're in Minnesota, a little town near the border called Copper Lake, where absolutely nothing interesting ever happens. Where are you from?"

He bit his lip. "The year 2260 of your Gregorian calendar." When she stared at him in amazement, he added, "I am from the future."

Drawing in a deep breath, she said, "Fine. Do you need medical help? You look a little green."

He took stock of himself. "I do not think so."

"No cuts, bruises, gunshot wounds?"

This time, the brows drew down in consternation. "Gun shot wounds?"

She got to her feet. "A little joke. Come on, get up, let's see if you can walk."

He stood, though he appeared a bit shaky. She reached out to steady him and he immediately pulled away. _Note to self: crazy man with elf ears does not like being touched._ "So you're okay? You can find your way home?"

He gazed across the field to the farm, where cows could be heard lowing as they were milked in the barn, and he suddenly appeared so alone that she was moved to ask, "Do you have a place to go to?"

He looked at her with bleak eyes. "I do not. It seems I am lost in time and may never get home."

Chills ran down her back and she almost believed him. Almost. Her mother had often told her that her impulsive behavior would someday get her in trouble, and maybe she was right, because she made one of her instant decisions. "Come with me, then. We'll try to figure out how to get you the help you need. I'm Alexa, what's your name?"

"Spock."

They walked out to the road and turned back toward town. "So what's with the ears?"

"I do not understand the question," he said, taking in every detail around him.

"Accident of birth, or did you have that done for some reason?"

"I am sorry, I still do not understand."

She tried again. "You said you were born on Vulcan. A planet, right? Does everyone there look like you?"

"Yes, for the most part. My mother, however, was human. Like you."

"Hm, interesting twist," she mumbled to herself, and was surprised when he not only heard her, but responded.

"My father, Sarek, met her while he served as ambassador to the Federation."

"Uh-huh." She stole a sidelong glance at him. He was surprisingly attractive, considering his odd features and strange clothing. The slanted brows were delicate and beautiful, over eyes she could only classify as grade-A gorgeous. He had a strong nose, well-defined cheekbones, and a lovely, mobile mouth. Nothing wrong with the body, either. He was over six feet tall and slender, but she sensed strength in him. Too bad he was loopdy-loop. She wasn't sure if she should encourage these fantasies or not, so she fell silent. He was perfectly at ease with this state, and she didn't speak again until they reached town, such as it was.

"Copper Lake," she said as they headed toward Main Street. "Population 803, though I suspect there are less than that here now. Not much of a town, but we do have a post office. Sort of. They stuck it in a small space at the back of the general store."

She led him up a flower-lined walk to the front door of her small house and opened it; no one ever locked doors in Copper Lake. The furnishings were simple but comfortable, and there was plenty of light, as the house faced south and had many large windows. "Have a seat," she said, and he seemed to understand this meant he should sit. He chose her reading chair, though he did not put his feet up on the ottoman. Rather, he sat very straight, knees together, hands in his lap, and appeared to be waiting for her to say or do something.

"Can I get you something to eat or drink?"

"May I have something to drink?"

Smiling at his formal speech patterns, she went into the kitchen, grabbed a couple of bottled waters, and returned to the living room, only to discover he had not moved even an inch. Handing him a bottle, she sat on the couch facing him and watched as he studied the container. He seemed not to know what to do with it.

"Hey," she said, and held up her own bottle and twisted off the cap.

He mimicked her movements to open his own bottle. After watching her drink, he did the same.

"Water is precious on my planet," he said after swallowing half the contents of the bottle.

"It's becoming precious here on Earth, too," she said dryly. What the hell was she going to do with him? Physically, he was unhurt, but mentally, she had serious doubts. Had he escaped from some lunatic asylum somewhere? Or maybe someone had dumped him because his insurance ran out and he couldn't afford to pay anymore?

"So, Spock…now what?"

"I do not under—"

"—stand the question. Right." Sitting back, she crossed one leg over the other at the knee and considered the situation. He was obviously a non-violent sort, and she had no worries that he would attack or otherwise try to harm her. But who was he really, and where did he belong? Where were his people? She didn't believe that shit about Vulcan or coming from the future for a moment.

He met her eyes calmly and she felt a sudden, unexpected affection for him. "I want to help you Spock. Do you have any suggestions on how I might go about doing that?"

Part 2

"I must consider the options available to me in this year, 2009," he said. "That will take time."

"Uh-huh. In the meanwhile, I guess you can stay here." She couldn't believe the words had come out of her mouth, but there they were, hanging in the air between them. "I have a guest bedroom, and you can sleep there, at least for now."

"Thank you. If my memory is correct, computers were fairly common in 2009. Would you happen to have one?"

"Sure, everyone has a computer these days. I'm even online." When his eyebrow went up, she explained. "Connected to the internet. How is it you don't know this?"

He pressed his lips together. "You do not believe that I am from the future."

"No, Spock, I don't believe that. Shit like that doesn't happen in my time, and certainly not to me. I'm just a teacher."

"My mother, Amanda, was a teacher. It is an honorable profession."

"Yeah, so they tell me." She tried not to roll her eyes, and only partially succeeded. "Come on."

She led him into the dining room, which served as her home office. Because she lived alone, she ate her meals in the kitchen or in front of the television. Turning the dining room into an office seemed like a good idea, as she didn't entertain much, either.

It was a desktop system, only a year old and fairly fast. She offered him the chair in front of the keyboard and he sat down.

"Computer, on," he said.

Laughing, Alexa said, "You talk to computers where you come from?" She turned on the CPU and monitor. "In my time, you have to push buttons."

She opened a browser for him, and when he was still uncertain how to proceed, she asked, "What are you looking for?"

"Star charts, star systems. I want to show you where my home planet is located."

Alexa brought up Google and typed 'star systems' in the search field. "Any particular area?" He told her and she added '40 eridani system.'

Google brought up that section of the universe and Spock showed her where Vulcan was located. "It is a Class M planet and has no moons," he explained. "Vulcan was a founding member of the Federation and is located 16.348 light years from Earth."

"Fascinating," she said. "And this is supposed to prove that your story isn't just something borne out of a fever you lived through when you were five?"

"I do not under—"

"Yeah! I get it." She sat down in the chair next to him. "Spock. Pointing out a star on the computer and spewing some alleged facts at me isn't enough to convince me your story is true. What else ya got?"

He thought that over. "Vulcans do not have sweat glands."

"Easy to say, hard to prove. What else?"

Another couple of minutes passed. At last, he said, "Your heart is located here," and he touched just to the left of the center of his chest. "Mine is here," and his hand dropped to the lower right quadrant of his torso.

She started to put her hand on his chest and, remembering how he'd reacted the last time she'd put a hand on him, thought better of it. "May I touch you?" He nodded. She placed the palm of her hand on him where a human's heart would be and felt nothing. "Can I place my ear there?" Again, he nodded, and she laid her head against his chest. Silence. She then moved her ear down to the right, where a human's liver would be located, and instantly heard a racing heartbeat.

"How fast?" she asked.

"A Vulcan's heart rate is approximately 240 beats per minute," he said.

She sat up. "You've got my attention, Spock. Give me one more thing and I'll believe you."

He raised a long-fingered hand. "May I touch you?"

Smiling, she nodded. He laid his fingers lightly on the right side of her face, moving them until the placement suited him. His eyes closed.

Abruptly, Alexa felt an alien presence in her mind…Spock? Intrusive, yes, but not frightening. Rather, there was a warmth there, and a soft light that moved through her brain.

_Our minds are one,_ she heard in her head. Under his gentle probing, she felt herself open to him, all her thoughts and memories laid bare like a hundred thousand stars flung across the endless sky.

_Your thoughts are mine,_ he said in her mind, and for some reason, this didn't bother her.

_Take them, _she thought. _Fine with me._

There was a burst of quicksilver laughter, and then he was gone and she was alone in her head again.

"Vulcans are a psionic race," he said, his dark liquid eyes watching her.

She took a deep breath. "I believe you, and I believe you are from the future and that you're Vulcan and you are here by accident." Her eyes widened in surprise at her unexpected words, but she was nothing if not pragmatic. He had shown her that he spoke the truth and she had to believe it, had to believe _him_. "What can I do to help you get home?"

Part 3

"I do not yet have an answer to that question." He looked at the computer. "I may use this to research the problem?"

"Be my guest."

The phone rang and I answered it in the kitchen. "Oh, hi, Marge. You saw him, huh? …Yeah, he's a friend of mine, staying for a while…what about his ears? …You must be imagining things, sweetie. He looks like anyone else. ….Yeah, strange haircut, huh? It's the style in Vancouver. Yup, that's where he's from. …Sure, talk to you later."

Back in the dining room, Spock's fingers were flying over the keyboard. Alexa smiled. Apparently, he was a fast study.

"That was my neighbor. She saw you come in with me. That woman sees everything." Leaning over the back of his chair, she looked at the monitor. Gobbledegoop. Whatever he was doing was far beyond her understanding. "The news will be all over town within 24 hours. If you go out, wear a cap or something, okay?"

"I understand."

She was standing close enough to smell him, so she took a discrete whiff and caught the barest hint of a light, sweet scent. Not a cologne or aftershave, she finally decided; she was smelling him. She remembered what he'd said about not having sweat glands and following that train of thought through to its logical conclusion, realized he would never stink like a human male sometimes could. She wondered if he showered.

"Do you take showers?" she asked, because pretty much every thought she had fell out of her mouth sooner or later.

His hands paused on the keyboard as he considered her question. She suddenly realized that might have sounded odd, but decided to leave it out there.

He turned his head to look at her. "There are sonic showers on the Enterprise. They do not use water, but you feel just as refreshed as if they did."

"Oh. That's interesting. Enterprise?"

"My ship."

"I guess you're talking about space, not water, huh."

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Yes."

For the first time, she was close enough to really see his eyes, and she thought she saw…yes. "Do you wear contacts?"

"The eye shields? They are tinted and polarizing, to allow me to comfortably work under the bright lights that humans require. Vulcans are a nocturnal race. We prefer a darker environment."

"Are your eyes really brown?"

"Yes. That is by far the most common eye color on Vulcan. It is rare to see the variety humans exhibit." He leaned a bit closer. "Yours appear to be green."

"Uh-huh. Got that from my mother. Wish I'd gotten her red hair, too, but no, I got stuck with boring brown." She regained her seat next to him. "Do you mind me asking these questions? I've never met anyone from the future before, and certainly you're my first contact with an extraterrestrial."

"I understand your curiosity." He placed his hands in his lap and tilted his head attentively, waiting for my next question.

"What do you think of us? Humans, I mean?"

He thought that over. "Impulsive, stubborn, well-meaning, generous. You are a flawed race, but so are Vulcans, so is any species in the universe."

Alexa laughed. "We haven't changed much in the future, I see."

He smiled, showing perfect white teeth. "Vulcans are a logical race. In some ways, we have lost the ability to adapt and change as circumstances warrant. Humans, on the other hand, are ruled by their emotions, and while that often makes them difficult to work beside, it also makes them exceedingly adaptable to changing conditions. My captain would call it 'flying by the seat of your pants.' He's very good at that."

"There are so many things I'd like to ask you that I have no idea where to start. Maybe we should just have something to eat. Are you hungry?"

He nodded. "That would be nice." 

"Any dietary restrictions?"

"Vulcans do not eat meat."

"That's cool. I can whip us up something that didn't come from creatures with legs."

While he continued to explore on the computer, she boiled some angel hair pasta, sautéed some Portobello mushrooms, and threw together a garden salad. She chopped up some onions and red peppers and threw them in with the pasta and mushrooms, lightly pouring olive oil over the top. "Hey," she called from the kitchen. "Dinner's on."

He joined me at the small kitchen table, which was next to a window that looked out into the back yard. Noticing how much of the evening light was coming in, she said, "Want me to draw the curtains?"

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary."

He twirled some pasta on a fork and stuck it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

"Good?" she wondered.

"Yes, though more spice would be appreciated. Vulcans' sense of taste is not as highly developed as those of humans."

She got a plastic shaker of red pepper out of a cabinet and handed it to him. "Knock yourself out." When he raised an eyebrow at me, she laughed and advised him to sprinkle it on the food.

He did so, tasted again, and pronounced it delicious.

She'd poured us each a glass of cheap red wine, and he drank it without comment. You can't afford the good stuff on a teacher's salary. He finished it all though, and when she offered seconds, he accepted, so it couldn't have been too bad.

After dinner, he watched as she cleared the table and put things away or in the dishwasher. She just knew he was recording every detail in that Vulcan brain of his, to put to what use, she had no idea. Once he figured out how to get back to his time, he'd be gone and her little adventure with E.T. would be over.

He went right back to the computer, and she sat next to him, mostly just to keep him company. He was aware of me there but off on his quest to find a way home. If anyone could figure it out, she decided Spock could.

She found myself watching him closely, noticing the deliberate way his fingers moved on the keyboard, seeing how well his clothes fit him, and did she mention his smell? Really nice, and not from a bottle. And those ears! So elegant, so beautiful. _Humans should have ears like that_, I thought, _and the upswept eyebrows, too._

As if feeling my eyes on him, he sat back and looked at her. "I can do nothing else tonight. I must think this through logically."

"Okay." Dusk had fallen and the house had darkened. The last of the day's light was fading fast but she put off turning on the lamps because she felt he was more comfortable in near darkness. "Do Vulcans fall in love?"

The words popped out of my mouth before she could stop them. His voice, when he answered her, was very soft.

"They do."

"Like humans? For life?"

He nodded.

"Is there someone waiting for you in the future?"

"That is a difficult question to answer." He paused before continuing. "I was promised to someone, and she to me, when we were children. However, the larger world has intruded on that cultural precept, and I no longer feel bound by it, nor does she."

"So you are free then?"

"In the way you mean it, yes." His eyes narrowed. "You are not bound to anyone?"

Shrugging, she evaded his eyes. "I was, once, but it didn't work out." Remembering Grant and his temper tantrums, she said, "He was an asshole. I had to break it off with him."

An eyebrow went up. "'Asshole?'"

The word sounded strange coming out of his beautiful mouth. "Sorry, bad word. He was, um, less than desirable as a mate."

"Ah…." He looked around the room, noting the books and art prints. "You live here alone."

"I do." She couldn't help it, she had to ask. "Is sex different with Vulcans?"

"Clarify."

"Well, there are physical differences between humans and Vulcans, some of which you've already pointed out. I was just wondering if it extended to…reproduction." He did not answer right away, and she said hurriedly, "Sorry, that's probably way too personal a question. It's not like we've known each other all that long. I just…you're very attractive in an unusual sort of way, and I may never have another chance to talk to someone from a different planet. I'm sort of chucking all the social graces out the window right now." When his eyebrow went up, she added, "Taking advantage of you being here to find out more about your species."

"Your questions are merely clinical then?"

Glancing away from him, she said, "Not really. Basically, I'm prying. Being nosy."

"Is there something specific you would like to know?"

"You're familiar with human male physiology?"

"I am."

"Um, how does it differ from that of Vulcans? In the, uh, genital area." She thought he fought a smile, and belatedly realized he probably got such questions frequently from ignorant humans such as herself. "If that's too personal, you don't have to answer," she hastened to assure him.

"Vulcans are not comfortable discussing this." When her face fell, he relented. "However, I am half human, and so my physiology differs from that of a pure-borne Vulcan. I have come to understand that I am more human than Vulcan in that regard, though there are some differences."

She stared at him, wondering (of course) what those differences might be. She badly wanted to ask him to show her, but realized that would be totally improper behavior on her part. Rude, impertinent, downright unacceptable. She realized, uncomfortably, that he knew exactly what she was thinking by the look in his human eyes.

Surprisingly, he touched a hand to her cheek, his fingers light as butterfly wings. "Alexa…" Her name came out on a breath of air. "What do you wish of me?"

She answered him honestly. "I really don't know. You crashed into my life without warning, and I know you will be gone just as quickly, and I will have nothing of you but my memories, which are notoriously inaccurate." The room was now almost entirely dark, the only illumination coming from the street lamp outside. She could barely see him anymore, which somehow made her braver than she would otherwise have been. "I want to touch you."

"By that, you mean in an intimate way."

She drew in a silent breath. "Yes."

Did she imagine it, or did the world just end? Or did she just feel that way because her heart was pounding so hard?

Part 4

"Humans are overly concerned with the physical part of their being, whereas Vulcans exist more in the mind," he said, but there was no censure in his voice. "I have lived among humans for many years, and I have become accustomed to their ways. It is important for you to have physical contact with each other, and therefore, by extension, with me."

She blinked. "You sure have a way with words, but I think you may be avoiding the issue. That was definitely a non-response." A possibility suddenly occurred to her. "Have you been with a woman? I mean, you can, right? There is no physical impediment to joining with a human female?"

"Our species is sexually compatible, and I have."

"Was it enjoyable to you?"

"It was."

"Do you think…maybe…you'd like to share that experience with me?" She couldn't believe those words had come out of her mouth, but somewhere between the time she'd walked into her house with him and now, she'd realized that she wanted him, and she hadn't felt that way toward a man in a long time.

"We do not know one another," he said slowly.

"There's really no time for that, is there? You'll be gone soon."

He rose, walked to the middle of the living room, and laced his hands behind his back. The shadows fell around him like a cloak, enveloping him in a swimming sea of grays.

When he raised his head to look at her, his eyes glinted in what little light there was.

"I do not know how to respond to your request. It makes me…uneasy."

"Why?"

"I am unaccustomed to being that close to someone. That kind of sharing is a human thing, not a Vulcan thing."

She got to her feet and walked over to him. "May I touch you?"

After a brief hesitation, he bowed his head, giving permission. She lightly traced one of the pointed ears, top to bottom, and then followed the upward line of an eyebrow, feeling its feathery softness. He watched her cautiously, not pulling away but not responding, either.

Alexa was glad she was above average height, because Spock was tall, over six feet, and to kiss him, she still had to rise on her toes, placing her hands on his shoulders for balance. His lips were soft, warm, and firm under hers.

She looked at him. "Nothing?"

"I don't understand—"

"When I kiss you, you feel nothing?"

"On the contrary, it is quite pleasant."

"But, until you told me that, I had no idea. Is it Vulcan to show no emotion?"

"Logic is the state we aspire to, yes."

"But you're half human. Somewhere inside you, isn't someone jumping up and down, anxious to ravish me?"

He smiled. "Vulcans are very strong. I must be careful, or chance hurting you."

"Oh, go ahead. Hurt me a little." At the look in his eyes, she said, "Spock, I'm only joking. You get humor, don't you?"

"I understand it in my time, but the combination of words and slang in 2009 is still strange to me."

"Right, sorry, I keep forgetting, weird as that sounds." Rising on her toes again, she wrapped her arms loosely around his shoulders and, after a moment, she felt him slide his hands around her waist. Allowing herself to relax against him, she was relieved when he did not back away, but instead, accepted her weight with no protest.

"You're so warm," she commented, "and your breath is hot on my neck."

"My blood cells have a double-convex form to aid in cooling the blood and body," he whispered against her ear. "Waste heat is transferred via the blood into the lungs during respiration, which is why my breath feels hot to you."

Listening to him talk was unbelievably sexy. "Tell me more," she said softly, gently pulling on his ear lobe with her teeth. His hands tightened against her back, pulling her closer. She felt him rise against her as he hardened, and was only slightly surprised to discover it felt very much like a human man's erection.

He moved his lips over the sensitive skin on her shoulder. "My eyes are protected by a clear inner lid, or nictating membrane, that helps filter out harmful radiation, heat and dust. While my sight is only average in the light of day, my night vision is acute."

"Very interesting," she said, moving her hands up under his shirt, following the tight muscles of his back up to his shoulder blades. His skin was smooth as heavy cream, without blemish, and she longed to run her tongue along it, to see how he tasted.

"My hemoglobin is based on copper, unlike yours, which is based on iron. That is why my skin has a slightly green tint and yours is pink." He flexed his hands against her hips, tightening his fingers on her jeans. His voice had roughened slightly, and his breath felt even hotter against her bare skin. "Copper-based blood helps utilize oxygen under low atmospheric pressure and low oxygen conditions."

"Miraculous." She moved her hands around to the front and, still under the shirt, passed the palms lightly over his nipples, which tightened in response. His breathing increased and a sound come from deep in his throat as she stroked down across his ribs, across the muscles below them, and experimentally pushed them down inside the waistband of his pants.

"My low frequency hearing range is comparable to that of humans, but my high frequency hearing range is significantly higher." He moved his hips against hers, seeking pressure, and she shoved back, giving it to him.

Abruptly, he took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, moaning into her open mouth. Her knees started to buckle, and feeling her yield, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the back of the house, locating the bedroom by logical deduction, she assumed. She'd left a bedside lamp on, and the golden glow fell across the bed he gently laid her upon.

"Would you prefer I turn that off?" she asked as he lay beside her, his back to the light.

"It does not bother me, and I want to see you." He unbuttoned her shirt and moved the material aside so he could lower his head to her stomach, where he used his mouth against her skin, his hot breath arousing her as much as his lips. She could feel the strength in him, like a steel bar wrapped in velvet, and noted also that he was careful how he touched her, conscious every moment of her more fragile human body.

She helped pull his shirt over his head, anxious to see him. His skin was uniformly pale in color and denser than hers, and when she remarked on it, he said, "It is moisture-proof to prevent dehydration. It can also directly absorb moisture from my surroundings."

"What, you mean your skin can suck rain right out of the air?"

"Or fog, or even water from your skin. Excess water can be stored in the body until it is needed, though this technique is mostly taught as a survival tool these days…or rather, during my time.

Everything he said fascinated her. He truly was different from her, in almost every way. She ran her hands down the rib cage, which was longer than a human's in order to protect the lower-placed heart, feeling the heat coming off his skin. He moved under her touch, and she felt lust for him burst inside her. She slid off the bed to remove his boots and socks, and then reached for his zipper. He sat up and his hands closed over hers as he caught her eye.

"You are certain this is what you want?"

"Oh yeah. You?"

"I would enjoy making love with you."

"Then it's all systems go," and she and pulled his zipper down. The pants and underwear came off and he was naked before her. She looked him over as she caressed him. He was beautifully made, from his slender hips down to his narrow feet. He had long legs that were nearly hairless and between them his penis jutted straight up out of a small nest of pubic hair. It looked quite similar to a human's, though she immediately decided his was far lovelier than any she had yet experienced. Unlike human testicles, which hung loose, his were drawn up snugly against his body. An altogether better look, if she were honest about it.

"There is circumcision on Vulcan?"

"We are not born with foreskins, so there is no need of that ceremony."

She shed the remainder of her clothes and knelt between his legs to bury her face in his groin. She breathed deeply, and that same light scent she'd noticed earlier filled her lungs and head. He smelled so clean and fresh that she inhaled again.

His hands lightly touched her hair, stroking down its length where it flowed past her shoulders, before coming to rest on her back. She ran her tongue around the head of his cock and felt his thighs jerk against her. When she took him into her mouth, she heard him exhale sharply and his fingers dug into her skin before moving to her temples.

She felt the alien presence again as he entered her mind, his signature warmth and light pulsating in her head.

_Our minds are one_, she heard. _Your thoughts are mine,_ and then he dropped a barrier between them, and he said in her head _My thoughts are yours._

His mind was as unlike hers as was possible, and still remain accessible to her. There was no stream of consciousness; everything was orderly, regimented, controlled. It was like being inside a huge and endless mental library; the vast extent of his knowledge was breathtaking, and all of it available instantly if you knew where to look. Even as she stumbled around in there, she became aware that one area was shifting and changing as she moved her mouth on him. He had relinquished his iron control in that one location, allowing feeling to cascade through him, and he was allowing her to see it.

He pulled her up into his arms and they lay back together, on their sides, bodies close. His radiant body heat enveloped her in warmth and she snuggled into it, liking the way he felt.

_Do you like this?_ she asked in his mind.

_Very much._

Reaching between them, she grasped his member and guided it home. Red and yellow exploded in his head as he sank into her, and she felt tremors go through him. His hands clenched on her, and then softened as he remembered her fragility.

He felt good inside her as he gently moved deeper, repositioning himself as he responded to her unvoiced needs. He made adjustments instantly, constantly, fluidly, and she quickly felt herself rocketing toward orgasm. His every move was precise and perfect and when she thought _I want to be on my back_, he rolled so she was beneath him.

She found she had the same ability to eavesdrop on his needs, and though she was somewhat slower in answering them, she made a concerted effort and was rewarded when he began to pant, eyes tightly closed, as he moved nearer to his release. She insisted he let her go first, as she didn't want to miss a moment of his climax, and he complied, his control absolute as she had a shattering orgasm that went on and on with his assistance.

Then it was his turn. She focused entirely on him; his body, his mind, doing everything in her limited power to give him the ultimate satisfaction. She touched, stroked, licked, and lightly nipped every part of him she could reach. She used her vaginal muscles to increase the pressure on him. As he spiraled closer to release, she felt him draw her into that part of his being that revealed his feelings, felt his pleasure wrap itself around her like an electric blanket that glowed and sparked as the energy tightened…tightened…until he exploded like a sun going nova, and she gasped at the intensity of the heat that filled him and overflowed into her.

Outwardly, his body drove into her, and he held her so close she could barely breathe. He made one sound as he crested, and his breathing was ragged, dry, and very hot, but otherwise, he kept it all inside him. If he had not allowed her access to his mind, she would never have guessed how intently he experienced his pleasure, but oh, once he'd made up his mind to enjoy himself, he completely gave himself over to it, and to the things she made him feel.

It was the best fuck she'd ever had, and she strongly suspected it would stand at the top of that list the rest of her life.

Part 5

Vulcans are not good at after-sex cuddling, but Spock had either learned or been taught that human women required it, so he made an effort and consented to let her curl up in his arms and place her head on his shoulder.

"So what's the problem with touching people?" she asked, feeling content and sleepy.

"We are a tactile people," he said, "but because of our innate telepathic ability, we resist touch."

"That sucks," she said, breathing in his smell.

"Am I to assume that is a negative comment?"

Laughing, she kissed his chin. "Very much so." After a moment of silence, she said, "What's it like, to live and work in space?"

"I have nothing to compare it to," he replied, "and as I have done it for many years, I am accustomed to it. The Enterprise is a large ship, with over 400 crew members on board. Every convenience you might want is available."

"Sort of like a flying city, huh?" She felt his lips brush the top of her head and smiled. "What's your job?"

"Chief Science Officer."

She snorted. "I should have guessed that. I bet you're really good at it, too." When he made no answer to that, she said, "Tell me about the captain. Do the two of you get along?"

"Yes." 

"What's his name?"

"James Kirk. He was born and grew up on Earth, in Iowa." Suddenly, he sat up. "Iowa."

"The corn state," she said, looking at him in surprise. "What is it?"

Reluctantly, he lay back, pulling her close. "It's very near here, Iowa."

"Yes, just a few hours drive, depending on where in the state you want to go."

"There is something…but I will have to think about it for a while before forming any conclusions."

"A way for you to get home?"

"Yes."

Sadness flowed through her at the thought of him vanishing from her life. Thinking to distract herself, she slide her hand down his length, thinking to hold his penis in her hand, perhaps convince him a second round would be good, only to discover that there was almost nothing there. She felt…just the head?

Sitting up, she threw back the covers and stared. Seeing the direction of her gaze, he said, "It is retracted into the body, for protection."

"Wow, that's different." She ran her hand over the area, feeling the shape of the penis under the skin. "Does it come out when you have to pee?"

"Retraction is mostly an involuntary action. Excreting urine can be done sitting or standing."

"Wow," she said again. "I don't suppose you'd let me watch…?"

"Are all human females as curious as you?"

She grinned. "Probably, but I'm likely more blunt about it." She pulled the covers back up over him and returned to nestling against him. "You're the first person I've ever met who comes from another planet. I can't help asking these questions."

"Understandable," he admitted. "If the situation were reversed, I would be as curious as you."

They fell silent and she listened to his quiet breathing and inhaled his singular scent until she fell asleep, still wrapped in his arms.

In the morning, while she was busy in the bathroom getting ready for work, he lay in bed, arms behind his head, thinking. As she went back and forth across the room, getting this or that item of clothing, he stared at the ceiling, but she knew he wasn't seeing it. He was pondering something, and it made her uneasy.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she said, "I just decided. I'm going to call in sick today, stay home with you."

Slowly, his eyes focused and he looked at her. "I need to go to Riverside, Iowa. Can you take me there?"

She nodded. "Sure. We'll look it up online and jump in the car. Is that where your captain was born and raised?"

"Yes. He told me a story once, of a cave near that town where he spent time as a young man, a place he considered a refuge from an unhappy home life." He sat up. "If I can locate that cave and leave him a message, it is possible he will remember it in the future, as Captain Kirk, and find a way to come back for me."

She blinked. "Sounds convoluted."

"Time, in this sense, is linear. If I can make the message compelling enough, and it lasts long enough to be read by Jim Kirk during his years in Riverside—and he recalls that message in 2260—he will come for me."

Spock was absolutely certain of this. His expression proclaimed it.

Alexa stood. "Get dressed. I'll change into jeans and pack us a lunch. Looks like we're taking a road trip."

Part 6

She googled Riverside, Iowa and printed out the directions while Spock figured out how the shower worked. In the kitchen, she packed egg salad sandwiches for breakfast on the road and called work to tell them she wasn't coming in.

When Spock appeared, he was fully dressed, his hair neatly combed, but beard stubble starting to show. She raised an eyebrow at him. "I love that scruffy look, but I have a feeling you would feel more comfortable if you could shave, correct?"

He had the grace to look slightly abashed. "I would prefer it."

She found him a razor with a fresh blade and left him to it. It was nice having a man in the house again, she reflected as she checked her email at the dining room table. It had been almost four years since Grant had lived there, and while she didn't miss him one bit, she did miss his maleness. A woman living alone tended to get cats and start wearing slouchy sweatpants, and she figured she wasn't quite ready for that yet.

After Spock reappeared, she ducked into the bathroom to pee before they left, noticing that everything was neat and tidy, the towels hung up, the washcloth and soap where they should be, and—this almost made her dizzy with pleasure—no beard hairs in the sink. He'd actually rinsed them away.

"Will you marry me?" she asked as they went out to her car. At his look, she laughed. "Just kidding, Spock. Lighten up, hon, or this is going to be a very long drive."

He nodded very seriously. "I will make the attempt."

Chuckling, Alexa directed him to the passenger side door while she slid behind the wheel, throwing the insulated lunch bag in the back seat. He watched her fasten the seat belt and then clipped his own in place. He was carrying the ball cap she'd loaned him, which would cover his ears and much of his eyebrows when they were around people.

She handed him the map printouts. "I bet you're good at following and giving directions." He smiled, looking at the sheaf of paper in his hands. "You're very cute, did you know that?"

He gave her a startled look. "Cute?"

"You know the meaning of the word, right?"

He flushed. "I do."

"It's a compliment, Spock. Accept it as such."

"Thank you," he said graciously and went back to studying the map.

She jumped on 63 and headed south, driving through some of the most beautiful country anywhere in America. They ate the egg sandwiches and she gave him a bottle of water, but Spock seemed to find it hard to relax into the trip. After letting it creep her out for an hour, she said, "Put your feet up on the dash. Lean back. Enjoy yourself."

He raised his eyebrows at her but said nothing. Lips twitching, she powered down his window and opened the moon roof. Warm air streamed into the car, ruffling his perfect hair.

"Cows," she said, pointing out his side. "Farm. Horses. Smell that? Freshly-cut hay. I love that smell."

He looked at her. "Do you feel it necessary to try to entertain me?"

"No, Spock. I'm just trying to help you get into the spirit of the road trip. It's an American tradition. Your Captain Kirk probably grew up tooling around on roads just like this. If you could understand that, you might understand him better."

She could see he was pondering her words, so to help him think, she turned on the CD player and music blasted out. She turned it down some, but still left it loud. "That's part of the experience," she told him when he looked askance at her. "Can't have a road trip without music. Next up, nearly inedible food from a fast food place."

They crossed the Minnesota/Iowa border and she pointed out the welcome sign to him. He nodded but maintained his silence.

[i]_Okay, not the best companion to be traveling with_[/i], she thought. But he was definitely cute as hell. She'd offered him sunglasses, to protect his eyes from the bright sun, but he had demurred, saying the eye shields were adequate to perform that job.

She glanced over at him as they came into Waterloo. At least he had leaned back and looked a bit more relaxed, though his feet were firmly planted on the floor and his hands resting quietly, one on each thigh. Spock did not clear his throat, scratch, or constantly shift around in his seat like a human would…like she did. Suddenly becoming aware of all her little ticks and twitches, she made an effort to keep still and found it nearly impossible.

"How do you do that? Sit for hours without moving? Doesn't your ass get sore?"

"I am unsure how to answer that."

"Rhetorical question, Spock." She spotted a Wendy's and pulled in and parked. "Time for lunch, and I have to use the bathroom. How about you?"

"I am hungry," he said.

"What, no bathroom?"

"It is not necessary."

"Is this a Vulcan thing?"

"I do not under—"

"Never mind. You can tell me about it later."

She planted him at a table and hit the restroom, after which she ordered food at the counter. Garden salad for him and a cheeseburger and fries for herself.

He'd put on his ball cap before leaving the car, and it hid his ears and eyebrows but looked totally ridiculous on him. As most people in Iowa wore ball caps and often looked ridiculous, no one gave him a second glance, so she considered the hat a complete success.

He ate like he did everything; very deliberately, very neatly, very quietly. She wolfed her burger, offered him a fry (he refused), and drank her Coke. She finished ahead of him, and sat and watched him eat his greens. He was aware of her perusal, but did not comment on it. She figured he was getting used to her intrusive personality, a thought that made her smile. That he noticed.

"Is something amusing?"

She reached out and placed her hand over his. She felt the muscles tense in preparation for withdrawal, but he fought against it and left his hand on the table, under hers.

"I just like you so very much," she said softly.

He raised his eyes to hers. "Because I'm…cute?"

She saw the sparkle in his eyes and laughed. "Yeah, but that's only part of it."

His head tilted, and his feathery brows came down over his dark brown eyes. "There is more?"

"It goes beyond what you look like, into what you are, how you carry yourself…" She felt a strong wave of emotion go through her. "You have to go home, don't you."

He recognized some of the emotional conflict within her. "Yes, if I can. This is not my time. Here, I am far away from family, friends."

"I get that, I do." She withdrew her hand and sat back. "Is there any way you can take me with you?"

His eyes narrowed. "You would leave everything you know for an uncertain future with strangers?"

Shrugging, she said, "Maybe."

Acknowledging her ambivalence, he said, "We must continue our journey to Riverside."

"Yes, we must."

She bussed the trays, they got back in the car, and the road trip continued.

Part 7

They reached Riverside around 2:30. It wasn't much of a town; just a few streets in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farms and corn fields.

"Iowa is really boring," she remarked as the drove into town. "No wonder Kirk decided space would be more fun." Spock cocked an eyebrow at her, which she assumed signaled amusement. "Let's stop at this greasy-spoon and ask about the cave." Before he could question her, she added, "Means diner." He nodded.

Inside, the place was dark and cool, and there was only one waitress, standing behind the counter, and one customer sitting in front of her, bent over a cup of coffee.

Alexa knew how things worked in small towns, living in one herself. Walking up to the waitress and asking her a direct question would most likely get her nothing. She was a _stranger_, and while the woman would be polite, she'd inwardly bristle at such brashness. This kind of thing had to be finessed.

Directing Spock to a booth, she slid in opposite him and waited.

"I am not hungry," he said.

"Doesn't matter," she whispered back. "Let me handle this."

When the woman finally ambled over, order pad and chewed up pencil in hand, Alexa smiled at her. Her name tag read 'Rosie.'

"Hi. I'll have a cup of coffee, black, and my friend just wants water. How's the pie today?"

Rosie smiled. "Really good. I made it fresh this morning. We have apple, lemon meringue, and a chocolate to die for."

"Sounds good. Bring me a piece of the chocolate and I'll share with my friend."

Rosie departed and Alexa made a quick trip to the restroom. She returned just as Rosie was setting down their order on the table. Spock was thanking her formally.

"You let me know how you like it," Rosie said before returning to her station behind the counter.

Alexa took a bite. "Wow, this is really good. Try it."

"I am not hungry."

"Spock," she whispered. "Eat some."

Sensing there was more importance to her request than mere ingestion, he picked up a fork and put a small amount of the pie into his mouth.

"Good, right?"

"Yes."

"Then smile, as if you've never tasted anything better."

He forced his lips to curve upward, and it was so funny that Alexa laughed. "You're a terrible actor."

"I am acting?"

"Yes, and not very well. Patience. I'm getting there."

She ate most of the pie while Spock just picked at it, sipped her coffee, and after a reasonable amount of time had passed, signaled Rosie.

"You were right. That was delicious, the best I've had in a long time."

Rosie colored. "Thanks. Pies are my specialty. It's why people come in here, mostly."

"I'm not surprised." When the woman scribbled something on her pad, tore it off, and placed it on the table, Alexa asked casually, "We're just driving through this area, don't really know it, but I heard about a cave hereabouts."

"There's only one cave, and it isn't much of one, if you ask me. Suttler's cave, overlooking the English River. It's big enough for the local kids to play in, but it's mostly just a big hole in the side of a hill."

"We're amateur spelunkers. Is the cave easy to get to? We thought it might be fun to take a quick look before continuing our trip."

"Easy enough, and on public land, too. I'll draw you a little map. Doubt you'll find anything of interest there, though."

Alexa shrugged. "You are probably right, but my friend really likes caves. If we don't stop and look, he'll nag the crap out of me for the rest of the trip."

Rose smiled at Spock, who gazed blankly back at her. "I sure understand how that works. I'm married."

She tore another page out of her pad, turned it over, and sketched some quick lines on the back. Showing it to Alexa, she explained the chicken tracks, wished them a good day, and left.

Alexa left her a healthy tip and waved at the woman as they exited.

As promised, the cave wasn't much. Tucked back into a hill covered with trees, it overlooked the river, which was about thirty feet from its entrance. There was a fair amount of litter in the area, much of it appearing to have been left by kids or teens, given the type of garbage: candy wrappers, plastic drink bottles, and even a few used condoms.

As always, Alexa found herself disgusted by the trash. Was it really that hard to carry it away with you?

The cave itself was large enough for someone to stand up in, and consisted of the main 'room,' with a smaller nook behind that, which you needed to crawl into through a narrow entrance.

He looked around the main cave and then raised an eyebrow at her. "This is limestone. It is soft rock, easy to carve into. I will need something sharp with which to do this."

"Got a screwdriver in the car," she said, and ran off to fetch it. That wasn't all she had in the trunk. There was also a sleeping bag, tent, blow-up bed with pump, and various items of clothing, a liter of water, and some emergency food rations. She believed in being prepared. Digging through the stuff, she found a pair of leather gloves and grabbed them, too.

Back at the cave, she handed him the tool and gloves. "Know what you're going to say?"

"Yes."

Others had already left various carvings on the walls, mostly consisting of phrases like 'Al loves Mary' and 'Sugar + Dan.' Spock found an empty space near the entrance, donned the gloves, and began to form letters with the point of the screwdriver.

Alexa watched for a while, then she sat down in the entrance facing the river and listened to the birds sing and to the water as it flowed past. The sun was in the west now, but hours of daylight still remained. "Spock? Once you finish that, we're staying here, aren't we?"

"Yes. I must be here when they come for me."

"What happens if they don't come?"

There was a long silence behind her, and then he said, "They will come."

She looked back at him over her shoulder. He continued to work the screwdriver into the soft rock, the lines of his face suddenly hard.

Her words were very soft when she said, "Then they will, as you believe it so strongly."

He looked at her then, and the expression in his eyes was so bleak that she jumped to her feet and went to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders. He held himself away from her for a moment, and then pulled her close, burying his face in her neck.

"They must come," he insisted in a broken voice.

Part 8

Suddenly, she saw the situation through his eyes and shuddered. What must it feel like to be displaced so thoroughly from everything you knew? And if they didn't pick him up, how would he fit into a world that would look at him in shock and fear?

Her heart ached for him as she whispered nonsense words in his ears and stroked his back. But after a long moment, he straightened and set himself apart from her, his face once again without expression. Turning back to the cave wall, he again began to carve.

Figuring they were there for the night, she went back to the car to fetch her camping gear. She always carried it with her, along with a small cooler. It was a habit she'd gotten into years before and tonight, it would serve them well.

While he worked on his message, she set up the tent on a flat area above the river, making sure to remove the stones and sticks from beneath it. The sleeping bag went in next, followed by a portable lantern, hung from a hook in the tent's center.

Informing him that she was returning to town for supplies, she drove back to Riverside and stopped at a grocery store, where she picked up dinner supplies, paper towels, matches, a cheap pot, ice for the cooler, and more water. At a liquor store next door, she bought a bottle of good wine and two cheap plastic glasses. On the way back to the cave, she stopped at a roadside stand that offered firewood for sale for $3 and bought two bundles.

He was finishing up as she returned with her packages. Setting them down next to the tent, she looked at what he'd written on the wall.

SPOCK

2260 8.28.2009

"That's tomorrow," she stupidly said.

"Yes." He removed the gloves from his hands and handed them to her.

"So we wait."

"We wait."

She gathered several large rocks together and put them in a circle; their fire would be laid in the center. Opening the wine, she poured a glass and handed it to him. He took it absently, his mind on other things.

"Spock. There's nothing else you can do. Let it go for now and look at the river."

He sipped his wine, and she watched him, loving the beautiful lines of his elfish ears and the way his eyelashes brushed his cheeks when he closed his eyes.

"You are so beautiful," she breathed. He raised his face to hers and she looked back at him, her feelings clear in her eyes.

He touched her shoulder, oh so gently, and kissed her, his lips soft. "Thank you, for everything."

Blushing, she quickly turned to preparation for dinner. She'd bought one of those salads in a bag and now she sliced off the top and poured it into two bowls, handing one to Spock, along with a plastic fork. They munched their greens in silence, listening to the water gurgling over the rocks near shore as it flowed by. Birds twittered in the trees and the lazy summer hum of insects filled their ears.

She could tell he was eating without tasting, but he was getting it down and that's all that mattered. "There's more, if you're still hungry."

He shook his head. "No, thank you. That was sufficient."

She went off into the woods to gather twigs and branches, and returned to start a fire in the ring of stones. It wasn't dark yet, and certainly not cold, but she thought cheery flames might make them both feel better.

Spock stared into the fire, eyes far away, gently biting his bottom lip. She sidled up next to him and put an arm around his shoulder. She felt his muscles twitch and pull away. Embarrassed, she removed her arm.

"I'm sorry. I keep forgetting you are not like us…me."

"I am sorry. I should not have reacted that way." He put an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him, feeling his warmth.

"Ever camped out before?" she asked, for something to say.

"I have not."

"Humans do it all the time. It's how they get back to nature, or at least, that's what they tell themselves. But I think it's a damn peculiar way of roughing it when you bring along the portable television and a boom box." He raised an eyebrow, and she laughed. "Never mind. Just me being sarcastic again." She threw another log on the fire and watched as sparks flared and died around it. "Spock, there is every possibility that you will be gone tomorrow, back to your life, your ship, the future. So is it okay if tonight belongs to me?" Turning to him, she laid a hand against his cheek. "I would like to touch you. A lot. Okay by you?"

He touched that hand with his own. "Alexa, you have been kind to me. Generous. I will do what I can to please you."

"Not exactly the response I was looking for," she said, and sighed.

"I have said the wrong thing?"

"No, Spock. My expectations are out of line with reality, that's all." She moved her hand to the back of his neck. "Kiss me?"

He bent his lips, touching them to hers. Longing burst inside her, a desire for something she could not name but knew she wanted. She pushed her tongue into his mouth and he allowed it, which excited her further.

She pulled him closer to her, lost in the taste and smell of him. Tomorrow was forgotten, there was only this moment, this man. She felt his hands on her, moving down her back to her waist, felt his fingers digging into her flesh.

She drew back and saw that his eyes had gone dark with passion. Taking him by the hand, she led him into the tent and onto the sleeping bag, which offered some cushion against the hard ground.

Curling herself against him, she said, "Make love to me, Spock, as if it's the last time. Because it may very well be."

Part 9

The first time, Alexa had taken the lead. This time, Spock did.

The last of the day's light filled the tent with green shadows as he removed her shirt and placed it neatly to one side. Touching her temples with his fingers, she felt him slide into her mind. He left his barrier in place, however, so she couldn't tell what he was feeling as he spent a very long time touching her, kissing and tasting her skin. In his gentle hands, she felt cherished, and yes, loved.

Her jeans came off and then her underwear, and she was naked next to him. When she attempted to take off his shirt, he shook his head, smiling, and continued his detailed exploration of her body.

Laying back, she closed her eyes and focused on the feel of his mouth and tongue on her flesh, and how his hands and fingers moved on her, against her, and finally, when she was writhing and wimpering, inside her. She arched against his hand, asking for more, loving the fingers but wanting him.

Raising her head, she watched him making love to her. He noticed her gaze and holding her eyes with his, removed his fingers from inside her and slowly stuck them in his mouth, tasting her.

Seeing him lick her from his fingers was, quite simply, the single most erotic thing she'd ever seen. Her body rushed out like crazy.

"Wherever I am, I take you with me," he said.

What else could she do? She attacked him, removing his clothes in a frenzy. She heard him laugh for the first time, and it was the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard.

As he entered her, he dropped the mind barrier and she abruptly realized how very aroused he was, that if not for his Vulcan control, he'd have lost it immediately. Suddenly, she wanted him to lose it and she drove toward that goal, using every technique and woman's wile at her disposal to drive him over that edge, and when he climaxed, every light in the sky burst inside her, taking her with him.

_I-jol au _he said with great feeling in her mind, and when she raised her eyebrows, asking the question, he translated. _It is Vulcan for 'I love you_.'

She cradled his face in her hands. "I love you, too, and you will take that with you, as well."

His beautiful eyes filled with tears. "As you will take my love with you, always."

They kissed and even as he hardened again inside her and passion rose once more, she fought the sadness flooding through her as she realized she was going to lose him, and that it was right and necessary that he leave her and this time to return to his place in the universe.

They made love many times that night, in many different positions, and each time was more special than the one before. She refused to sleep, could not let herself miss even one minute in his presence. She tried very hard to memorize how he felt against her, on top of her, beneath her, behind her, to remember his lovely, light fresh scent and how he tasted on her tongue and in her mouth. Even his semen tasted clean, with just a touch of sweetness.

When they rested, they talked quietly of his home planet, his life in space, and her upbringing in rural Minnesota. She filed away every word he said and the inflections he gave them, hoping she would not forget his voice, and then suddenly remembered her cell phone did video. Running back to the car naked in the darkness, tripping over tree roots and stepping on gravel that made her cry out in pain, she grabbed it and hurried back to the tent.

"There's moonlight out here," she said from outside. "Maybe there's enough light to use this."

He exited the tent and stood, his smooth skin glowing in the pale silver light. She turned on the video feature and started recording him. He looked at the phone in her hand and then at her. "That device is capturing me?"

"I hope. I'll do it again in the morning, when the sun is up."

"Say the Vulcan thing again," she suggested, zooming in on his beautiful face.

He smiled. "I-jol au," he said, and followed that with a string of unintelligible sounds.

"What did you say?"

Even in the low light, she saw his eyes soften. "I take you and your love with me always."

She closed the phone and went into his arms.

Part 10

Despite her wish not to sleep, she dozed off just before dawn, his arms holding her close, his mouth against her temple. Spock did not sleep. He was still awake when the rising sun brought light into the tent and called her back to gritty-eyed consciousness.

"How long was I out?"

He may not have understood the slang, but he got the gist of it. "Less than an hour. Dawn has broken."

Excusing herself, she visited the woods and then plunged into the cold water of the river, which was so shocking against her skin that she yelled very loudly. Spock, now dressed and watching her, inquired if she was okay.

"I'm fine, love. The water just feels like ice, that's all." Feeling cleaner and refreshed, she climbed onto the bank and walked straight to him. He wrapped himself around her and she was quickly warmed. "Hungry?"

"A little."

He went off into the woods while she dressed, re-lit the fire, and placed a pot of water on to boil for instant coffee. She was cutting up fruit when he returned and sat beside her.

"Was that the first time you peed since we left home yesterday?"

He smiled at her question. "Still curious, I see."

"About you? Always." Laughing, she handed him apple slices and half an orange.

"Vulcan bodies are efficient. Less than 50% of the water we take in is excreted, unlike humans. You excrete 100%." He chewed on the apple and swallowed. "Our urine is not thin like yours. It is concentrated, thick, almost like an oil."

She stared at him. "You fascinate the hell out of me." Then she sighed. "I'm going to miss these little factoids when you go."

Just then, several feet away, a cone of multi-colored energy started to form, whirling faster and faster as a figure took shape inside it. Spock stood, staring at it. Alexa remained seated, knowing this portended a change.

The energy field faded as the figure solidified, and she saw it was a man, blonde, slight of build but strong, about the same age as Spock. He saw the Vulcan and a huge smile transformed his face into something full of joy.

"Spock!" Covering the ground between them in seconds, the man threw his arms around the Vulcan, who returned the hug, though perhaps not quite so boisterously. "It was genius, carving that message into the cave wall."

"I am pleased you remembered it."

His hands still on Spock's shoulders, he said, "I remembered your name but nothing else. Bones had to hypnotize me so I could recall the dates. As soon as that was clear, I knew where to find you. Or rather, when." He laughed. "And here you are. I'm glad to see you, Spock."

"And I, you, Captain." He inclined his head toward her. "This is Alexa, who proved to be of great assistance in bringing me here. Alexa, this is Captain Kirk."

Kirk stepped toward her, bent over, and shook her hand. "Thank you for rescuing my Vulcan."

She smiled at him. "You're welcome." Turning her eyes to Spock, she said softly. "It was an absolute pleasure."

Kirk stepped back from the fire. "Time to go. The window is narrow."

"You discovered what happened and how I was sent here?"

The Captain's face darkened. "I did, and he is in jail on charges of mutiny against a commanding officer."

Spock nodded. "It was all so unnecessary."

Kirk smiled again. "Never mind that now. We'll debrief when we get back to the ship. I'm just glad I was able to find you."

"A moment, Captain." Spock knelt beside Alexa and touched a finger to her temple. [i]_I take your love with me, always, as you take mine.[/i]_ He rose and went to stand beside his captain. "I'm ready."

Kirk flipped open something that looked like a cell phone. "Energize, Scotty. We're coming home."

Alexa locked her eyes on Spock's as the whirling energy cone returned, unable to swallow the lump in her throat, and so unable to speak.

And then he was gone, with his Captain, back to his life, and she was alone by the river, an empty tent behind her and a river at her side, flowing slowly past to places she had never been and probably would never see.

The pain was almost blinding, and she huddled in on herself. Broken hearts couldn't kill a person, could they? No, it was just pain, and she could handle pain, learn to live with it, count the days, weeks, months until she could draw a deep breath again without wanting to die from missing him. Remembering her phone, she ran the video she'd taken of him in the middle of the night. She saw his lovely pointed ears, the elegant upswept eyebrows, his perfect mouth and deep, dark eyes, heard his soft voice as he spoke to her and was amazed she could breathe at all.

The End


End file.
